With the regular season opener less than a month away, national acclaim is starting to trickle in for the University of Akron men’s soccer team.

The Zips, who were recently ranked No. 9 in College Soccer News’ Preseason Top 30 National Poll, landed three players on Top Drawer Soccer’s Preseason’s Best XI this week, including first-team honoree Bryan Gallego, second-team selection Reinaldo Brenes and third-team choice Aodhan Quinn.

The University of Akron men's soccer home match against Ohio State on Sept. 24 has been selected to air on NSCAATV.com, a new on-line media property launched by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) in 2013.

Starting on Aug. 13, NSCAATV.com will air a weekly college soccer review show and a live stream schedule of college soccer games from around the country. The Zips' contest against their in-state rivals, which will kick off at 7 p.m. ET at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field, is one of 10 NCAA Division I men's games scheduled to air this fall.

The complete bracket for the 2013 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic was announced on Wednesday and the Akron Zips will open the tournament with an ESPNU matchup with Oregon State on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 7:30 p.m.

University of Akron volleyball head coach Ron Arenz announced two additions to his staff this week. Allison Kearney has been named assistant coach and Cedric Chrisostome will join the program for its 2013 campaign as a volunteer assistant coach.

Kearney comes to Akron after a decorated playing career at Arkansas State University and Bowling Green. The Wooster, Ohio native was the starting setter for three seasons at ASU, finishing her career as the school's fourth all-time assists leader with 3,252. Kearney was a two-time All-Sunbelt Conference honoree with the RedWolves, graduating in 2013 with a bachelor of science in English.

From a UA news release: UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The University of Akron football team will open the 2017 college football season on the road, heading to Beaver Stadium to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sept. 2, 2017.

The matchup will mark the second time in a four-year stretch that the Zips and Nittany Lions face off as Akron heads to University Park, Pa., on Sept. 6, 2014.

This move by the University of Akron Athletics Department wasn't unexpected, but it certainly was the right one based on the way coach Jodi Kest has built the women's basketball program. From a UA news release:

University of Akron women's basketball head coach Jodi Kest has agreed to a five-year contract extension that will keep her at the helm of the program through the 2017-18 season. The terms of the agreement are pending approval by the University's Board of Trustees.

From a UA news release: University of Akron head men's soccer coach Jaed Embick announced Monday that English winger Sam Gainford has signed a national letter of intent to play for the Zips next fall.

Gainford, who trained at Liverpool Academy since age 10, was a member of the club's Under-18 team where he played forward and attacking midfield. The native of Whitehaven also played in several NextGen Series games for Liverpool U-21. He is expected to play forward for the Zips.

Gainford is the third English recruit added by Embick this offseason. Cross, a native of Lancashire, is a product of Blackpool FC Academy and Seremba, who hails from London, comes from Chelsea Academy.

In all, the Zips will welcome 10 incoming freshman and a college transfer in 2013.

From a UA news release: The University of Akron baseball program and head coach Rick Rembielak announced the hiring of Kyle Smith as pitching coach on Monday afternoon.

"I am very pleased to have Kyle join our staff here at Akron to develop our pitching staff. He is a local guy who has ties to the area and has a bright coaching career ahead of him," Rembielak said Monday.